Fire destroys home before Thanksgiving

For information on how you can help the Haslett-Marroquin family, who lost their home to a fire on November 23, please click here.

Fire swept through the home of Amy and Reginaldo Haslett-Marroquin late Wednesday evening, November 23. No one was injured by the blaze but the house was completely destroyed. Reginaldo Haslett-Marroquin is the director of the Rural Enterprise Center, whose mission "is to strengthen communities by bringing together the support infrastructure, systems, resources and programs that rural entrepreneurs need to succeed." Amy is a teacher at Prairie Creek Community School. Their three children attend Prairie Creek and ARTech. The Haslett-Marroquin farm is also known as Finca Mirasol, dedicated to sustainable, responsible agriculture.

UPDATE: There will be a benefit concert for the family on Friday, December 16, from 6:00 to 10:30 p.m., at the Northfield Ballroom (1055 Highway 3 North). The entry fee is $5. The concert will feature Chasing Impossible and The Flute Platoon, along with about a dozen other local artists. A Facebook page has been set up to promote the concert.

A benefit fund has been set up at First National Bank; for information, contact Rick Estenson at 507-645-5656. We will keep this post updated with more information about the fire and relief efforts. You can also sign up to provide meals for the family at Volunteer Spot. Another online fundraising effort has been set up on The Point, which has already raised over $1,000.